Meet Maureen Laird . . . The Power Lunch Bunch Spotlight Member of the Month

If you ask Maureen Laird “What’s cooking?” be prepared for a delicious answer. As Catering Director for La Bella Cucina restaurant, Maureen can arrange for fabulous meals for any occasion, from corporate meetings to bridal showers.

La Bella Cucina (“beautiful kitchen” in Italian) opened in the fall of 2004 at 1619 NW Federal Highway in north Stuart. The full-service restaurant serves lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday, with seating for 50. Four umbrella-shaded tables are also available for patio dining.

In addition to the restaurant, La Bella Cucina includes a gourmet deli with specialty items, imported wines and cheeses, and fresh seafood. Ann Vandersluis, who owns La Bella with her sister, Natalie, does all the baking on-site, tempting customers with a tantalizing array of delectable homemade desserts such as tiramisu, cannoli and mocha brownies.

The lunch menu features everything from salads to sandwiches to hot entrees. Dinner includes a wide range of traditional Italian fare and such innovations as Fiochi with Pear and Gorgonzola in a Gorgonzola Cream Sauce - “It’s one of our most popular entrees,” says Maureen.

Maureen joined La Bella Cucina just a few weeks ago, but her background includes over 20 years of experience in the food and beverage industry. She relocated here from West Palm Beach just before the hurricanes of 2004 with her husband, Gary, and daughter, Catherine. Two grown children and four grandchildren remain in the West Palm Beach area.

La Bella delivers lunch from 10 a.m .to 2 p.m. daily, from Port St. Lucie into northern Stuart. Dinners are available for take-out. “We do a little bit of everything,” says Maureen. Wow, do they. Call La Bella Cucina at 232-9202 to order a gourmet gift basket, deliver lunch to your office, cater a cocktail party or create a theme dinner. They do it all . . . deliciously!